DAHLONEGA, GA. – The Francis Marion University women’s basketball team put together its best offensive showing of the season to claim an 85-83 come-from-behind road win over North Georgia College & State University, Saturday afternoon (Feb. 24) in Peach Belt Conference women’s basketball action.
The Patriots snap a nine-game losing skid to finish the regular season at 6-21 overall and 3-13 in the PBC. Francis Marion will face Augusta State University in a first-round PBC Tournament game, Wednesday at 3 p.m. in Greenwood, S.C.
Junior guard Brittany Young nearly recorded a triple-double as she led the Patriots with 20 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists. Junior Renee Guilliams added 16 points, sophomore guard Kirby Marsh 14, and sophomore forward Katherine Kiefer 13. Junior 6-4 center Shavone Mack scored eight points, grabbed 12 rebounds, and blocked seven shots.
Center Porsha White paced North Georgia (12-14, 7-9) with 21 points as five Lady Saints scored in double figures.
Francis Marion trailed 48-37 at halftime, but connected on 18 of 28 field goal attempts in the second half to rally for the win. A Marsh three-pointer with 3:35 left gave FMU its first lead of the second stanza at 77-76. A pair of layups by freshman Yasmean Dixon and a bucket by Young gave the Patriots an 83-78 advantage. Two free throws by Young with 15 ticks remaining sealed the win.
North Georgia had a chance to force overtime, but was unable to get off a shot in the final seconds.
The point total, field goal percentage mark (54.4%), and three-pointers made (9) were all season highs for FMU.
2-24-07 4 pm at Dahlonega, Ga. (Memorial Hall)
FRANCIS MARION UNIVERSITY 85, NORTH GEORGIA 83
FRANCIS MARION UNIVERSITY (6-21, 3-13 PBC)
Young, Brittany 8-13 4-6 20; Guilliams, Renee 6-12 0-0 16; Marsh, Kirby 5-6
0-0 14; Kiefer, Katherine 4-6 4-5 13; Dixon, Yasmean 3-5 2-5 8; Mack,
Shavone 4-8 0-0 8; Downer, Shonelle 1-3 4-4 6; Goff, Vanessa 0-1 0-0 0;
Preal, Shaketa 0-0 0-0 0; Quinlan, Chelsea 0-3 0-1 0. Totals 31-57 14-21 85.
NORTH GEORGIA (12-14, 7-9 PBC)
White, Porsha 8-15 5-5 21; Jolley, Rachael 6-10 3-4 17; Marble, Syretha 4-11
6-7 14; Singleton, Kourtney 5-14 1-2 11; Huffman, Megan 4-8 0-0 10; Fagler,
Lauren 3-9 0-1 8; Kitchens, Lindsey 0-6 2-2 2; Baker, Brooke 0-0 0-0 0;
Brown, Sophia 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 30-73 17-21 83.
Halftime: North Georgia 48 Francis Marion 37.
3-point goals-Francis Marion University 9-19 (Guilliams, Renee 4-10; Marsh,
Kirby 4-5; Kiefer, Katherine 1-3; Quinlan, Chelsea 0-1), North Georgia 6-19
(Huffman, Megan 2-2; Fagler, Lauren 2-4; Jolley, Rachael 2-4; Kitchens,
Lindsey 0-5; Singleton, Kourtney 0-1; Marble, Syretha 0-3). Fouled
out--Francis Marion University-Marsh, Kirby, North Georgia-None.
Rebounds-Francis Marion University 43 (Mack, Shavone 12), North Georgia 33
(Marble, Syretha 9). Assists-Francis Marion University 17 (Young, Brittany
9), North Georgia 20 (Kitchens, Lindsey 11). Total fouls-Francis Marion
University 19, North Georgia 19. A-400
